The Power of Chanting Amituofo

Growing up in an environment with Theravada Buddhism practices, I learnt that the Buddha’s teachings stress on cultivation of one’s mental state through meditation. Previously, I never felt comfortable attending Mahayana prayers because of its many rituals and rules. However, after having attended seven years of annual ‘100 Million Om Mani Padme Hung’ retreats, which included basic teachings about the benefits of chanting the mantra, I became curious as to why many Buddhists are very serious about chanting ‘Amituofo’, often involving the elderly and dying, as well as during funeral rituals and prayers. The ‘Understanding Amituofo Via The Amitabha Sutra’ course (http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2012/01/course-understanding-amituofo-via-the-amitabha-sutra-9th-run; See http://thedailyenlightenment.com/category/06 for next run) attracted me to find out more. During the course, the Dharma teacher (Shen Shi’an) shared numerous miraculous events linked to faithful chanting of Amituofo for the dying and deceased.

Once, he invited a Dharma brother to share his experiences (http://purelander.com/2010/03/15/my-mother%E2%80%99s-birth-in-pureland-testimony-11/) of chanting Amituofo with strong faith. It was then that I recalled an incident from 15 years ago, when I was doing home care nursing. I was helping Po Po, an old, bedridden lady of above 80 years. She was being taken care of by two spinster daughters who were around 60 years old. I was asked to check on their Mother’s bed sores. Po Po had huge deep bedsores on both hips. The wounds were so deep that I could see her hip bones and ligaments. I gave her painkillers and rubbed some medication on her gums. I put up an infusion unit and hydrated her under the abdomen skin. According to her daughters, Po Po had been unconscious for many years. Their home was well-decorated with Catholic pictures and a statue of Mother Mary. They were obviously Catholics. However, Po Po wore a bead bracelet on one wrist and her daughters confirmed that she was a Buddhist.

The following day, I returned to their house. They were amazed that their Mother was actually conscious and responded to them. I repeated all the nursing procedures I did the day before. I then politely asked them for permission to play chanting of Amituofo’s name on tape. Their daughters were compassionate and allowed me to do it for their Mother. While the tape was playing, I sat very close to Po Po and whispered into her ear, ‘Po Po, pay attention to the chanting. Let go of all your pain and discomfort. You will be alright.’

I had to be very careful with my behavior as I went in as a nurse rather than a Dharma practitioner. However, I was sure that both her daughters were supportive of what I did. They were surprised that Po Po responded by turning her head slightly. I then suggested that they play the Amituofo chant continuously. As it was Friday, I gave some simple instructions on how to take care of Po Po during the weekend and promised to visit them again the following Monday. On Monday morning, I learnt that Po Po had passed away. Two weeks later, the two daughters came to the clinic where I worked and thanked me for what I did for their Mother.

That was not the only case that I used Amituofo chanting for the ill, elderly or dying. There were at least another three cases in which I was involved. After hearing the chanting, the persons involved passed away peacefully within three days, after long years of suffering.

Namo Amituofo, Yasa

Notes:
Even if it might not always be absolutely certain that the above people reached Amituofo’s Pure Land, what is definitely certain is that mindfulness of Amituofo’s name helped them to at least have a peaceful and thus fortunate rebirth. Is it possible for the old lady to have reached Pure Land? For reaching Pure Land, the Three Provisions of Faith, Aspiration and Practice are needed. As she was already a Buddhist, she probably already had some understanding and Faith in Amituofo, and thus readily followed the advice given to her.

If she did the Practice of mindfulness of Amituofo sincerely in her mind, she might have connected to Amituofo and his blessings, who thus inspired her to give rise to the Aspiration to reach Pure Land. This is a good example of how we should never assume someone cannot connect to Amituofo. Even if unconscious, the consciousness of patients might still be around, which makes continual support-chanting and encouraging of chanting still useful. We should simply do our best.

About the author

Purelanders

1 Comment

My name is Kong Ding and I took my vows in a Temple in Fujhou a very long time ago.I just wanted to say that in life what seems to be bad luck can later on be very good luck ! If I had not decided to help a young chinese friend in London a very long time ago, I would not have spent all night chanting to Amituofo in a small remote Temple in China which led to me listening to music in the sky the next morning at about 4 am for about 10 seconds .I was so loud I thought there was a music concert nearby ! Of course there was not , and I was walking outside the Temple on my own …………When my friendship seemed almost impossible to keep I chose kindness which was usually to my own private secret sadness .But I was rewarded ! It was the very first time I had ever chanted Amituofo and I am also a UK Army War Veteran more used to being a very different perosn than the one chanting with all my heart in a small very cold damp room in an isolated small Temple , miles away from any buildings or people ……So now I see chanting Amituofo and cultivating kindness as always going together ,as our connection grows to Amituofo so does our very big hearts for all those suffering in life whoever they may be ….Amituofo !